Molded carton lock



y 7, 1970 K. D.-BIXLER MOLDED CARTON LOCK Filed Feb. 6, 1969 FIG. 1'

KA A A INVENTOR KENNETH D. B/XLER ATTORNEY KARL IFLOCK$ United StatesPatent Office 3,519,192 Patented July 7, 1970 3,519,192 MOLDED CARTONLOCK Kenneth D. Bixler, Huntington, N.Y., assignor to DiamondInternational Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of DelawareFiled Feb. 6, 1969, Ser. No. 796,990 Int. Cl. B65d /66 U.S. Cl. 22944 7Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A molded carton having a tray,integral hollow cover and lock flap and including cooperating lockportions in the forward wall of the cover and the lock flap, in which alock portion on the flap comprise one or more indented walls terminatingin upper transverse ledges, and a lock lip defined by an inwardlyextending wall complementary to the indented portion on the lock flapand bordering a hole through the forward wall of the cover exposingtherebeneath, when the carton is closed, the lock flap which, whendepressed, permits the cover to be opened, and in which a bulge orindicia provided on the lock flap above the transverse lip is exposed atthe hole in the cover forward wall but beneath the outer surface thereofwhereby a user is apprised as to where to depress the lock flap toOperate the lock.

Many types of locking arrangements for molded cartons have beenpreviously proposed as illustrated, for example in U.S. patents toReifers No. 2,843,304 and No. 2,990,094.

The present invention contemplates a novel locking arrangement usable oncartons of the general type disclosed in the above-mentioned Reiferspatents.

Primary objects of the present invention are to provide a novel lockbetween a forward cover wall and outwardly biased lock flap of a moldedcarton in which the locking portions are substantially flush or beneathouter surface of the cover of the carton; to provide a novel lock of thecharacter mentioned above in which the lock flap includes an indentedwall terminating in an upper transverse ledge intermediately of thecarton flap, and engageable with a correspondingly shaped lock lipformed beneath a hole on the forward wall of the carton cover; toprovide an improved lock of the character mentioned above in whichindicia or a bulge is formed on the lock flap above the ledge and whichis exposed at the hole when the carton is closed to apprise a user as tohow to open or operate the lock.

These together with other and more specific objects and advantages ofthe invention will become apparent from a consideration of the followingdescription when taken in conjunction with the drawing forming a partthereof wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a molded carton, in a closedcondition, and which incorporate locks of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially on the planeof line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, similar to FIG. 2 showing the carton coverin a partially open condition;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing one of the cooperatinglocks of FIGS. 1-3, the parts generally being in the attitudeillustrated by FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged front elevational view, similar to aportion of FIG. 1, showing a modification of the lock flap;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the portion of the lockflap incorporating the modification shown in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary section, similar to FIG. 3, showing a furthermodified lock.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a molded one-piece carton isindicated generally at 10; and the carton is produced in any suitablemanner. The carton includes a lower tray portion 12, an upper hollowcover 14 hinged along the rear side edge at 16, and hinged to theopposite, forward edge at 18 is a lock flap indicated generally at 20.The cover 14, when the carton is closed, rests on the upper margin ofthe tray; see FIGS. 1 and 2, and although not described in detail, thetray may include vertical posts, saddles, etc. forming a series ofegg-receiving cells or the like. Means (not described in detail) isprovided whereby the lock flap 20 is normally biased outwardly or towardthe inner surface of the forward wall 22 of the cover when the carton isclosed. The forward wall 22, as do the rear and end walls of the cover14, converge upwardly to a slight degree, and are formed integral withthe top wall 24.

Indicated generally at 26 are longitudinally spaced locks havingcooperating portions formed on both the forward wall 22 of the cover andthe lock flap 20. Since these locks are identical in structure andfunction, only one will be described in detail. Additionally, in 2 X 6egg cartons, for example, which are designed to be separated in two 3 x2 carton segments, a pair of locks is desirable for each of theseparated segments. Only one of the locks will be described in detail,and the invention relates to an improved lock usable alone or incooperation with other locks.

The locks 26 includes a hole28 through which flaps 18 is engaged anddepressed to permit the cover to be opened. The hole 28 is formedgenerally at the intersection of the top 24 and adjacent portion of thecarton forward Wall 22. At the lower margin of the hole 28 an inwardlyangled lock edge 30 is formed defining the upper edge of a downwardlyand outwardly angled reinforcing wall 32, semielliptical in elevation;see FIG. 1, and which merges down generally to the lower marginal edge34 of the forward wall 22. Formed on the lock flap 20 and extendinggenerally above the hinge 18 is a cavity, recess or indentation 36defined by an inwardly extending wall 38 corresponding in shape orcomplementary to the wall 32 on the cover, and terminating in atransverse lock-ledge 40 beneath which the lock lip 30 will be disposedwhen the carton is closed in the manner shown in FIG. 2.

As seen in FIG. 2, when the carton is closed, the lock ing portionsformed on the flap will be disposed below a plane P passing through theouter surface of the front wall 26 of the carton. This arrangement ishighly desirable when packing the closed and filled cartons in a packingcase, and further there will be no projecting parts which might beaccidentally engaged to cause the carton to be opened accidentally.

Still further, the indented wall 38 beneath the lock ledge 40 provides asubstantial and highly stabilized con struction affording positivelocking. Still further, with respect to the structure and function ofthe cooperating lock parts, when the cover 14 is open as shown in FIG.3, and is then closed, the outwardly biased lock flap 20 will be firstcammed inwardly by angular wall portions 32 of the lock lip, and theledge 40 will engage over edge 30, providing a snap-like action when thecarton is closed.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, a lock flap of a carton tray 112 has formedtherein a cavity 136 including inwardly angled, semi-elliptical walls138 terminating in an upper transverse lock-ledge 140 functioning in thesame manner as correspondingly identified parts of FIGS. 14. Formedabove the lock lip is a slightly raised lbulge or embossment 141 whichcan have adjacent the upper end thereof a textured, embossed or letterform indicia 143. The bulge 141 will be raised only to the degree thatit will still be disposed beneath the outer plane of the carton coverwhen the carton is closed. Additionally, as seen in FIG. 5, the forwardwall 122 of the carton has a hole 128 formed above the inwardly angledlock lip 130 beneath which is an indented wall 132. When the carton isclosed from the position shown in FIG. 3, the lower edge 134 of the wall132 will initially engage the embossment 141 and thus the lock flap 120will be displaced inwardly a slightly greater distance than during thelocking of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, for example.

When the carton is closed, see FIG. 5, the indicia dot 143 will bevisible through the hole 128, thus apprising a user how to operate thelock and unlock the carton, i.e., by depressing the lock flap 120 at theindicia dot 143.

Considering FIG. 7, a slightly modified carton is indicated at 210 andincludes a tray 212 and a cover 214 corresponding to those elementssimilarly identified in FIG. 1, for example. The cover 214 includes inthe forward wall 222 a hole 228, the lower margin of which being definedby a lock-lip 230 and an indented outwardly angled wall 232 extendstoward the lower free edge 234 of the wall 222. The included anglebetween the margin 230 and wall 232 is slightly less than 90.Accordingly, an angled cover beak portion 233 is formed which canfunction with over pass closing of the cover to create a slightlytighter fitting lock than that of the embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 14,for example.

The lock flap 220 of this embodiment, includes the cavity 236 andtransverse ledge 240 which forms with the indented wall 238 and anincluded angle substantially corresponding to the angle formed by lip230 and wall 234 is formed on the forward wall of the cover of thecarton. In all other respects, the embodiment of FIG. 7 functions in thesame manner as the previously described embodiments.

Although the indentations, 38, 138 and 238 are illustrated asoriginating at the hinge line of the lock flap, the indentation may beslightly shorter in length, and of a. slightly lesser degree of depthand still alford the flushtype locking arrangement that is afforded byall of the embodiments disclosed and described.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made without departing from the scope of the invention and theinvention is not to be considered limited to what is shown in thedrawings and described in the specification.

What is claimed is:

1. In a molded carton, a bottom tray, hollow cover and lock flap, saidcover and lock flap being hingedly connected to opposite side edges ofsaid tray, said cover engaging the upper margin of said tray when thecover is closed, the lock flap being disposed adjacent the rear surfaceof the cover forward wall and normally biased toward that surface whenthe carton is closed; the improvement comprising lock means between saidcover forward wall and said lock flap in which:

said lock flap includes at least one cavity comprising outer wallportions and an indented wall portion formed therebetween by an innerflap wall surface extending inwardly and upwardly above the flap hingeto an intermediate portion of said flap and terminating in an outwardlyoriented transverse ledge the outer edge of which is generally in theplane of said outer wall portions,

said cover forward wall including a lock lip having an edge inwardly ofan outer surface of said cover forward wall and having a hole above theedge of said lock lip whereby a portion of the lock flap is exposed whenthe carton is closed, the lock edge defining an edge of an inwardlydisposed cover wall 4 portion relating to the inner wall of the lockflap cavity and the edge of the lock lip engages the outwardly orientedtransverse fiap ledge when the carton is closed.

2. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which a lock lip on theforward wall of the cover and the indented wall of the cavity extendangularly adjacent a lower edge portion of the forward wall of the coverand the lock flap, respectively.

3. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which the transverse ledge andthe wall therebeneath are disposed at an angle of substantially 4. Thestructure as claimed in claim 1 in which the transverse ledge andindented wall therebeneath form an included angle of less than 90.

5. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said lock flap includesan indicia portion above said transverse ledge which is exposed throughsaid hole when the carton is closed whereby a user is immediatelyapprised of the flap area to be pressed in order to operate the cartonlock.

6. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said lock flap includesa bulge formed above said transverse ledge and which is exposed at saidhole, the bulge being disposed below the surface of the cover forwardwall when the carton is closed.

7. In an integral molded egg carton of the type having a cellular tray,an inverted dished cover hingedly connected to the rear side of saidtray, a latching flap hingedly connected for partial rotation to thefront side of said tray, wherein said latching flap is normally biasedoutwardly away of the space above said tray and is provided with alatching formation for cooperation with another latching formation onthe front wall of said cover with said latching flap disposed adjacentthe inside face of the cover front wall when said carton is closed, saidcarton being further characterized by:

the said flap having an outer wall surface on each side of an inner wallsurface and a latching ledge connecting said inner wall surface withsaid outer wall surface at the upper periphery of said inner wallsurface, said latching ledge bridging said inner wall surface at itstopmost margin and connecting the outer wall surface on each side ofsaid inner wall surface, said inner wall surface and the two sides ofthe outer wall surface and said bridging latching ledge forming acavity,

the said cover front wall having an outer wall surface on each side ofan inwardly disposed wall portion, an opening in said inwardly disposedwall portion having an exposed lower margin adapted to latchinglycooperate with the latching ledge on said flap, when said carton isclosed with the flap disposed adjacent the inside face of said coverfront Wall, and the inner wall portion of said cover front wall disposedadjacent the inner wall surface of said flap and the bridging ledge ofsaid flap visible through the opening in said cover front wall over thelower margin of said opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,843,304 7/1958 Reifers 22945 XR3,289,911 12/1966 Boyd et a1. 1 22945 XR 3,3 66,311 1/1968 Simpson eta1.

3,371,848 3/1968 Ward et al. 22945 3,372,854 3/1968 Marcus 229443,398,875 8/1968 Snow et al. 22944 XR 3,441,196 4/1969 Bunkett 22,,9-44

DAVIS T. MOOREHEAD, Primary Examiner

